“Peasant Girl, Half-Figure,” created in 1885 by Vincent van Gogh, is a work of art belonging to the Realism movement and falls under the genre of sketch and study. The artwork depicts a young peasant girl in a half-figure pose.
In this profound sketch, the artist skillfully employs a combination of delicate and bold strokes to portray the figure of the peasant girl. Though the lines are quick and somewhat rough, they effectively capture the essence and character of the subject. The girl’s face is rendered with minimal detail, hinting at her humble and unadorned existence. The dim contour lines suggest the texture of her clothing and the posture of her body, emphasizing the natural and unpretentious aspects of the peasant life. The overall simplicity and directness of the drawing reflect the Realist aim to depict everyday subjects with sincerity and without embellishment.